Srinagar, May 30: Five years after the Wullar tragedy, the families of victims are still running from pillar to post to get justice. On this day in 2006, 22 persons including 20 children drowned in Wullar due to the alleged negligence of Navy personnel.

The families of deceased children, spearheading the campaign for justice under the banner of “Wullar Martyrs Committee” told Greater Kashmir that Navy men indicted by a judicial commission haven’t been punished yet.

“The Navy persons indicted by the judicial commission headed by Syed Naqashbandi are still roaming free. The promises of providing us justice have proved hoax. Even the then Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash promised that no one from their force would be spared if indicted. Not only this, the then Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad also assured us of justice,” said Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Zargar, who heads the Committee. Zargar lost his daughter, Saddaf, a class 2 student, in the tragedy.

Following Valley-wide protests after the tragedy, the State Government ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident. The inquiry officer blamed four navy officials—Lt K S Nehra, officer in charge Naval (Marcos) Watlab, Krishan Khulvi, boat operator, Raj Ram and Ganishan—for negligence.

He recommended that criminal proceedings be launched against the four Navy officials and principal of the school for their negligence resulting in the tragedy.

Even as the families are battling for justice, the survivors of the tragedy are still to come to terms with the death of their fellow students. Mere remembrance of frightful scenes of their colleagues crying for help and drowning one by one still sends shivers down their spine.

“I also boarded the boat, but my sister brought me down saying that it was dangerous to sit in it. As the boat was in the middle of the lake it overturned and all my fellow students were crying for help. But these (Navy men) were watching as mute spectators from the banks of the lake. We pleaded with them to save the students, but they did nothing,” says Shazia, a student, who was also on picnic on the fateful day.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 31 May 2011 00:00:00 IST